Chugiak-Eagle River 2027 Long-Range Transportation Plan
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CHUGIAK-EAGLE RIVER 2027 LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AS APPROVED BY AMATS POLICY COMMITTEE JUNE 14, 2007 APPROVAL OF DRAFT OS&HP ELEMENTS PENDING [MAP 5, APPENDIX C, AND APPENDIX D] Traffic Department Municipality of Anchorage Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 Chugiak-Eagle River 2027 Long-Range Transportation Plan Prepared as a joint effort by: Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Department Transportation Planning Division in cooperation with the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities As approved by the AMATS Policy Committee on June 14, 2007 [APPROVAL OF DRAFT OS&HP ELEMENTS PENDING] As per the conformity determination approved by FHWA and FTA in letter dated June 14, 2007 As adopted by the Municipality of Anchorage Assembly through AO dated [PENDING] The preparation of this report was financed in part by funding provided by the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 (This page reserved for Anchorage Assembly Adopting Ordinance) Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 (This page intentionally left blank) Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE i CHAPTER 1: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND 1 I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. ANCHORAGE METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS 2 III. THE STUDY AREA 4 IV. PLANNING HORIZON 4 CHAPTER 2: GOALS, POLICIES, AND OBJECTIVES 7 I. GOAL 7 II. OBJECTIVES 7 II. POLICIES 7 CHAPTER 3: EXISTING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM 13 I. THE EXISTING ROAD SYSTEM 13 II. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER MODES 14 CHAPTER 4: IDENTIFICATION OF ROAD SYSTEM DEFICIENCIES: 17 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING MODEL I. INTRODUCTION 17 II. MODEL ASSUMPTIONS 17 III. TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS 21 CHAPTER 5: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER MODES 31 AND POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION I. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 31 II. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES 35 CHAPTER 6: CONGESTION MANAGEMENT 39 I. CONGESTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - MUNICIPALITY OF 39 ANCHORAGE II. CONGESTION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ROADWAY 39 IMPROVEMENT NEEDS - CHUGIAK-EAGLE RIVER Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 CHAPTER 7: FREIGHT MOBILITY 49 CHAPTER 8: INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS 51 CHAPTER 9: PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 53 I. CONNECTIVITY TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE 53 II. ITS SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGIES 53 III. SECURITY 54 CHAPTER 10: RECOMMENDATIONS 57 I. ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 57 II. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS 65 III. TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS RECOMMENDATIONS 66 IV. CONGESTION MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 67 V. FREIGHT MOBILITY RECOMMENDATIONS 67 VI. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (ITS) RECOMMENDATIONS 68 VII. PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS 68 VIII. RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER STUDY: CBD CIRCULATION 69 IX. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSULTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION 69 CHAPTER 11: FINANCIAL PLAN 71 I. ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS 71 II. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER MODES 77 III. MAINTENANCE 78 IV. SUMMARY OF FINANCIALLY CONSTRAINED RECOMMENDATIONS 78 CHAPTER 12: AIR QUALITY 81 I. NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE AIR QUALITY PROBLEM 81 II. CONFORMITY WITH FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT REQUIREMENTS 82 CHAPTER 13: OFFICIAL STREETS AND HIGHWAYS PLAN 83 I. THE EXISTING STREET CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 84 II. CLASSIFICATION CHANGES AND STUDY AREAS 89 III. OFFICIAL STREETS AND HIGHWAYS PLAN MAP 94 Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 LIST OF MAPS Map 1: Chugiak-Eagle River Transportation Plan Study Area 5 Map 2: Year 2027 Projected Average Daily Traffic 23 Map 3: Future Overcapacity Intersections 27 Map 4 Major Roadway Improvement Needs 64 Map 5: Proposed 2007 Official Streets and Highways Map, Chugiak-Eagle River Area 94 [DRAFT – APPROVAL PENDING] LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Year 2027 Projections 18 Table 2: Year 2027 Traffic Projections 22 Table 3: Level of Service Characteristics 24 Table 4: Level of Service Summary: Chugiak-Eagle River Arterials 25 Table 5: Share-A-Ride Program Background 34 Table 6 Percent Truck Traffic on Chugiak-Eagle River Roads 49 Table 7: Major Roadway Recommendations 58 Table 8: Comparison of Costs and Revenues Available to Implement National Highway 73 System LRTP Projects to 2025 (Anchorage Bowl and Chugiak-Eagle River Combined) Table 9: Non-NHS Funded Projects to 2027 for Chugiak-Eagle River 74 Table 10: Comparison of Costs and Revenues Available to Implement Non-National 75 Highway System LRTP Projects to 2025 (Anchorage Bowl and Chugiak-Eagle River Combined) Table 11: State Match Funds – Surface Transportation Projects 76 Table 12: Short and Long Term Roadway Recommendations Horizon Phases 79 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Transportation Planning & Implementation Process 3 Figure 2: Household Growth (2006-2027) 20 Figure 3: Projected Commuters from Chugiak-Eagle River and the Mat-Su Valley to Anchorage Employment 28 Figure 4: Managing Demand and Available Capacity on the Glenn Highway, 2025 Morning Peak Hour 29 Figure 5 Transit Ridership in Chugiak-Eagle River 32 Figure 6 Easing the Glenn Highway Commute (Anchorage Bowl 2025 LRTP) 47 Figure 7 Average Annual PM10 Concentrations in Eagle River 1981-2005 81 APPENDICES Appendix A: Status of Chugiak-Eagle River Area Projects Included in 95 AMATS FFY 2006-2008 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as of 2007 Appendix B: Related Study and Planning Efforts 99 Appendix C: Street Typology Additions to Functional Classifications 103 [DRAFT – APPROVAL PENDING] Appendix D: 2007 Classification Listing of Roadways in Chugiak-Eagle River 113 [DRAFT – APPROVAL PENDING] Appendix E: Public Outreach, Consultation and Environmental Justice 117 Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 The AMATS Mission: To develop and implement a multi-modal transportation system. Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 PREFACE The Chugiak-Eagle River 2027 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is a product of Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS). Completion of the LRTP was accomplished through the cooperative effort of the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) staff. The Chugiak-Eagle River LRTP is an element of the Chugiak-Eagle River Comprehensive Plan and one of several elements of the AMATS Long-Range Transportation Plan. The objective of the LRTP is to create a balanced transportation system, based on community values—as expressed through the Comprehensive Plan—that meets future travel demands of the community through the support of multiple transportation modes while enhancing area safety, meeting environmental standards, and reducing impacts on residential neighborhoods. The LRTP recognizes the need for road, transit, trail and pedestrian, and freight improvements, and is intended to be general in nature. The Chugiak-Eagle River LRTP is used to guide development and implementation of needed transportation system improvements for the Chugiak-Eagle River area, and to program federal transportation funds. The plan addresses a longer-term planning horizon 20 years into the future, and is to be reviewed every 4 years. The Official Streets and Highways Plan (OS&HP) is based on the LRTP, and establishes the location, classification, and minimum rights-of-way for streets needed to accommodate future transportation needs. The 1996 Chugiak-Eagle River LRTP, which was titled Chugiak-Eagle River Transportation Plan, represented the first transportation planning effort to focus on the Chugiak-Eagle River area as a unique area within the MOA. The 1996 LRTP was based on the 1993 Chugiak-Eagle River Comprehensive Plan and included recommended changes to the Official Streets and Highways Plan as a key element. In preparing the 1996 Chugiak-Eagle River LRTP, extensive support was received from a Citizen Advisory Committee that was created to guide LRTP development. The Citizen Advisory Committee included members representing most of the major stakeholders concerned with future transportation system improvements. The first update to the 1996 LRTP, completed in 2003, was titled Chugiak-Eagle River Long-Range Transportation Plan. For the 2003 update, much valuable support was received from the Chugiak-Birchwood-Eagle River Rural Road Service Area (CBERRRSA) Board, as well as from area community council presidents and their representatives, the Planning and Zoning Commission, Eagle River/Chugiak Parks, Recreation, and Community Development, Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department, South Fork Volunteer Fire Department, Anchorage Fire and Police departments, and Eklutna, Inc. Several members of the original Citizen Advisory Committee asked to participate again as a group for development of this 2027 LRTP. The new committee was formed in 2005, and provided much appreciated support and insight. Following is a list of committee members and their affiliations: i Chugiak‐Eagle River 2027 LRTP June 2007 Bobbi Wells Birchwood Community Council Gail Dial Birchwood Community Council Ted Kinney Chugiak Community Council Linda Kovac Chugiak Community Council Judith Fetherolf Eagle River Community Council Dan Pace Eagle River Community Council Ron Goughnour Eagle River Valley Community Council Bob Reagan Eklutna Valley Community Council Mike Adams South Fork Community Council Susie Gorski Chugiak/Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Al Romaszewski Chugiak/Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Dave Sellie CBERRRSA Board of Supervisors Roger Van Ornum CBERRRSA Board of Supervisors John Rodda Eagle River/Chugiak Parks, Recreation and Community Development Jim Arneson Eklutna, Inc. Don Poulton Planning and Zoning Commission